Good Game
by loveisover
Summary: A SBURB session fanfiction involving all ocs! SPOTS ARE OPEN FOR OCS IN THIS STORY. A group of friends mysteriously obtain copies of a suspicious beta and are ensnared into the clutches of a deadly game- a game of Godhood and sacrifice. A game that would create everything and ultimately destroy it. This is the story of eight teenagers who had no idea what they were getting into.
1. A young girl stands in her room

_AN: Hey guys, this is sadly, not going to involve any of the actual Homestuck characters (although there will be references!) it will however, be incredibly hilarious and worth your while to read. It is a story of 'what would happen if', if we were someone delivered the betas. This was not solely created by me, it was also created by my best friend. We take turns. Therefore, I give her half the cred. (She doesn't have a account, sadly.)_

_Happy reading and hopefully, this sburb session captivates you as much as it captivated us! _

_**********IMPORTANT: We are also giving out places for your oc to become somewhat of a 'troll' (we want to make it a little different, you'll be an alien race just not identical to Hussie's work) or for a session which randomly selected readers will become intertwined with ours. IF you would like to be a part of this fanfiction, please send us your info: what you're like, what you like, what you do , who you are. Anything and everything goes. My PM box is always open. This is a draw so anyone is game to win! Stay tuned to see who gets a spot in our session!~ **********__  
__** ALSO , feel free to review with 'commands' , ex. "CA: PONDER LOVE FOR NIC CAGE" and we will try our best to insert them into the story. (Unless its something really really really politically incorrect, we'll do it)**_

_Hope you have fun- this fanfiction can be as interactive as you want it!_

* * *

Your name is Madison Snow, but only old men call you that. You prefer the nickname Madi, lovingly given to you by your strange mother- because she couldn't stand your name to start with, either. You have an affinity for stars, and for stoner theories about life. If you were to explain yourself, you guess you would say you were special. Not because you _did_ anything special, but because you existed. And how cool is that?

Today is the fifth shift you have in a row at your shitty low income, high stress job as a fry cook and cashier in the claws of mega fast-food corporation Mary Smith's. You don't want to go to work, but you are convinced you need money for all of your spending issues. You have a little bit of an addiction to just about everything, so having a steady source of income has deemed itself mandatory.

You have many superstitions that kind of over take your life, such as the rule that you always wear a religious medallion (even though you aren't religious) and the rule that you check the mail box every day, just in case you were to receive a letter (even though you don't send any). Currently, you are under the rule of not cleaning your room on a day that you have to go to work, and it has taken a toll on your poor room after five consecutive shifts (But it's not like you would clean your room anyway).

You have many friends, most of whom live too far away to hang out with face to face. You talk to the majority of your friends over the internet, seeing as you are a gamer and you enjoy keeping up with internet memes. It's a lot easier to keep up with friends while your browsing , right?

Currently, you are talking to one of them, a certain girl who just so happens to be your oldest and best friend. The rule, the routine check of the mailbox, is certainly calling your name, but you are too lazy to navigate through the stacks of clutter and sheer mess that your room has become to go outside. You decide that it is not you being lazy, but simply the illusion of knowing you must work that is _making_ you lazy.

**colossalArcanine began pestering coolstoryZo**

**CA:** its like dude

**CA:** im not being lazy or anything

**CA:** Right?

**CA:** Im just sayING, that I don't want to have to go through the trouble to go outside, you DIG?

**CZ:** madi. the beta could come at anytime. you have to be ready, remember?

**CA:** dude

**CA:** wouldn't it be funny if the beta came today

**CZ:** It'd be more ironic than funny, really.

**CA:** no but like we don't have conversations like this

**CA:** we never talk about the beta

**CZ:** you need to get a day off mary smith's, its seriously getting to your head, madi.

You consider for a moment if it is somehow possible to crawl so far under your nest of blankets that you may sink deep into the world and never be summoned to work again. After five minutes of trying, the presence of your rules beckons you again, and you bid 'brb', you your internet friends and attempt to escape the hold of your room. For a couple moments, you get wrapped up in examining all the fanart scattered between the piles of manga and video games over the floor. Its fan art of your favorite homosexual couple of the moment, Axel and Roxas in all of their anime glory. Just looking at them makes you want to cry.

"_Roxas... don't you remember me?"_

After having an emotional moment, you make your way down the stairs, trying very hard not to focus on all of the shih tzu paraphernalia and shih tzus your mother has all over the house. On occasion, you try to count the number of dogs within your house. But you just know, every day she adds more. There's no sense in counting- you could never keep up. Your mother seems to know every one of the 101 + shih tzus by name, but you secretly wonder if she just pretends to know them all by heart to bother you. Being completely honest with yourself, the only one you know by name is Coco Channel (again, a name your mother had picked out that she soon regretted, much like your own) whom is the only brown shih tzu out of the sea of cow spotted dogs.

You quickly find Coco and scoop her up into your arms. She proceeds to lick every inch of your face as you open the door to the outside world. You just get open the door as Coco starts to try to lick into your facial orifices. You could never understand why she would want to do that. Maybe the smell of Mary Smiths had sunk in too deep for her to taste it anymore, therefore she deemed it logical to delve deeper. You figure Coco wouldn't have to worry about that much longer, your shift started in less than two hours. Although there was no doubt in your mind that she would try to stick her tongue in your nose as soon as you got home. No, there was no doubt at all.

You take a moment to look up to the sky. It's the beginning of winter, a season you oddly enjoy. There are a lot of things you oddly enjoy, such as Nic Cage, or hummus spread, or devoting an entire day to playing Harvest Moon. You sigh to yourself, and turn to the mailbox, opening it up...

You're caught up in imagining playing harvest moon and eating hummus with Nic Cage and the hot homosexual couple of the moment, when you hear a crack as something falls from the mailbox to the ground. Coco pauses running her drooly tongue up the side of your face to stare downwards, at the tiny beige envelope.

It looks as though there is nothing inside. For the first time in four years, you break your rule of removing all letters and going through them all individually first, to stare at this mishap. It's so oddly shaped that you can't imagine what it could be. Slowly, you reach out your free hand and retrieve the package. You check both sides, but there is no address. There is no name, date, or stamp. It is simply a completely blank, mystery package.

It is at this precise moment that your heart stops. You rip open the package without thinking, running your hands along what feels to be slim plastic. Your stomach lurches. And there it is.

A blank CD.

You hold it out to the sun, attempting to see scratches. Upon the reflection, you notice a holographic indent in the foil of the CD of a blocked house. You know this symbol. This can't be happening.

You close the door behind you and Coco and find yourself galloping over snoring shih tzus to get to your room. You hurl open your laptops screen violently. Coco makes herself comfortable at the edge of your bed, wagging her tail every time you make a sudden movement- which just so happens to be practically all you are doing at this point. You could scream of happiness and fear all at the same time. Instead, it comes out sounding like some kind of strange squeal.

**colossalArcanine began pestering coolstoryZo**

**CA:** ZO

**CA:** ZO OH MY GOD

**CA:** OH MY GOD

**CA:** OH

**CA:** MY

**CZ:** what?

**CA:** GOD

**CZ:** madi?

**CA:** ZO

**CZ:** wait...

**CA:** THE BETA

**CZ:** the beta?!

**CA:** THE BETA!

**CZ:** oh my fucking god.

You proceed to repeat an excited conversation about your excitement towards this mystery cd which essentially is a lot of talk about each other's gods before your friend begins to try to pull you back to reality.

**CZ:** what are we going to do?

**CA:** DOWNloaD IT THATs WHAT

**CZ:** no wait, how do we know if its server or if its the client version?

**CA:** ITS A beTA DONT carE

**CZ:** madi , we have a plan remember? nothing can go wrong with our plan or our session will be doomed.

**CA:** yeah dude i know. How do we figure out what this thing is?

**CZ:** no idea.

**CA:** me either man

**CZ:** don't do anything just yet. try talking to duffy to make sure it's not a thing yet.

**CA:** While I'm doing that go outside and check and see if you got it in the mail too just so we know.

**CZ:** ok.

**coolstoryZo stopped pestering colossalArcanine**

You take a moment to catch your breath before typing the username of your other (albeit totally not as cool) friend who you have known for a measly four years. You will admit, he is an acquired taste. Even now, sometimes you wonder how you can manage to be friends with him.

**ColossalArcanine began pestering SilverStreak**

**CA:** Yo dawg

**CA:** Wazzah hom-ie

**SS:** not much , just playing some super metriod on snes, you?

**CA:** Oh not much really ha Ha just having a grand ol chill with coco

**SS:** Which ones coco again?

**CA:** Dude the brown one come on get with the program mang

**SS:** Man Syd has a brown cat, its so cute.

**CA:** Is this a sexual joke again

**CA:** A sexual joke I am unaware of

**CA:** Until now

**SS:** hehehehehehe

**CA:** Okay so download any new games recently?

**SS:** I downloaded this new dating sim, its pretty cool

**SS:** It's got some cool options

**SS:** Glasses option for every chick

**CA:** Get anything new?

**SS:** You can get all the girls to wear school girl outfits and the guys too

**CA:** In the mail?

**SS:** It's kind of weird though because I want the girls to wear the dudes uniform

**SS:** but for some reason you can only get the dudes to wear the girls and girls only wear the girls...

**CA:** Dude cool

**SS:** Yeah it really is

**SS:** The english patch sucks though because the only way I can compliment a girls tits is to say

**SS:** I like whats going on , right there

**SS:** Why can't I just say I like your chest

**SS:** Thats better than that

**CA:** i kNow riGHT

**SS:** We gotta hang out soon

**SS:** What time you free?

**CA:** I work all the time dude. I have a shift in an hour...

**SS:** Fuck that sucks. Oh well.

**CA:** Yeah man :c , I'ma pce out and take Coco for a walk.

**SS:** Okay

**colossalArcanine stopped pestering silverStreak**

You exit off of the window, and sigh to yourself. Sometimes you just don't get him. And sometimes you do. You are sighing about both.

**= BE THE OTHER GIRL.**

You are now the other girl. To be precise, your name is Zoee Parker.

You suppose the most accurate way to explain you would be to say that your life is basically a series of panic attacks with some other mundane things like interests thrown in periodically. These interests include art, television shows with intelligent plot lines and homoerotic subtext, National Treasure, young-adult coming of age novels, and boys who aren't your boyfriend. Sometimes these things give you panic attacks too, but your anxiety is just a slightly uncomfortable part of your life that you've grown accustomed to and you don't mind so much anymore.

Right now the source of your panic is the beta that could end up being either the bringer of an impending apocalypse, or a demo of a shitty fan made game that was distributed for unknown reasons.

Your room's window conveniently overlooks the mailbox, but upon closer inspection you can not actually tell whether there is any mail in it.

You have two options. Either you walk into the hallway, down the stairs, and out the front door like a normal person, or attempt to go directly out the window to reach the mailbox. Unfortunately, you are not a normal sensible person when it comes to leaving the safety of your room and navigating the stockpiles of absolutely useless clutter that your family leaves lying around. Really, that sort of mess is too much for you to handle at the best of times. So naturally, you choose the window.

As if there was really any other option.

You size up your room, taking stock of what sort of escape-mechanisms you have at your disposal. There actually isn't very much. You find:

1) two (2) bureaus. They are heavy, painted white, and probably of no use to you.

2) two (2) matching night tables. They have mismatching lamps atop them. Also probably of no use.

3) four (4) curtains. Durable enough to be used as some sort of rope. Now you're getting somewhere.

4) assorted bedsheets and pillow cases. Could be used to extend the length of your escape rope.

5) assorted clothes and books. Yeah, you are not moving your stuff from it's meticulously organized system.

6) one (1) half-full bag of Lays Lightly Salted Chips. You will need to fuel up before your drastic and adventurous escapade, obviously.

7) one (1) pair of wind-up chattering teeth. To be honest, you don't even know why you own these. Holy shit, they have eyes and everything.

You capchalogue the curtains, the bedsheets, and-

What?

You disregard that nonsense and pick up the curtains and bedsheets, tying them together with some suspiciously slippery knots. You curse yourself for quitting girl-guides at such a young age. Whatever, it will do. You survey the room one more time to figure out if there is anything else that could possibly be of use, and find that you have kept your room stripped to absolutely the bare essentials only. Not as if you'd have it any other way, of course.

Actually, those chattering teeth are really starting to unnerve you. Why are they even here?

You need to get rid of those. Soon. Damn, those things stare through your soul.

Before setting off on your adventure, you eat the Lays Lightly Salted Chips and waste some time checking the Supernatural tag on tumblr for cute Destiel fan art. You were never exactly efficient.

**colossalArcanine began pestering coolstoryZo**

**CA:** dUDE do you have it?/?

**CZ:** uh.

**CA:** are you on tumblr...

**CZ:** uh.

**CA:** are you still afraid of your hallway...

**CZ:** goddamnit.

**CA:** sToP being a freak and go check , dude

**CZ:** did duffy have anything to say? does he have one? i have a feeling we all got one.

**CA:** idk man, duffy was just being duffy

**CA:** you don't nEEd to have a feeling if you just go CHECK

**CZ:** i'm perfecting my escape rope.

**CA:** zo...

**CZ:** did you see me...escaping?

**CA:** I WUZ LIEK WHUHUHUUWHUHUWUO

**CZ:** omfg

**CA:** seriously zO go check

**CZ:** ok ok!

**coolstoryZo stopped pestering colossalArcanine**

You begin your descent out the window, tying your sketchy rope to the headboard of your bed. You hope the knots won't slip.

**= KNOTS: SLIP**

Well fuck.

At least the drop was only about three feet. You're not even sure why you bothered with all this rope tomfoolery in the first place, honestly. You guess that you just really _really_ hate your house.

You check the mailbox, and sure enough it contains an envelope that is totally blank. Inside that envelope is either two computer disks, or two really flat stale doughnuts. It is probably not doughnuts, thinking about it now. You don't even know where you got that thought.

It's the beta. Holy shit this is real. You've got to message Madi...

...from the computer. In your room. In the house.

Through the hallway.

Cool.

**= BE DUFFY**

You are now Duffy. You don't even have a first name, because fuck that noise, honestly. As far as anyone else is concerned you put the MAN in LADIES MAN. Every girl in the whole wide world wants a piece of _this_ kit kat bar. Why wouldn't they? From your stunning good looks, including but not limited to eminent buck teeth, not quite long and definitely not short hair, and an over worn neon orange beanie, how could the ladies not be ripping of their clothes and running up to you?

Of course , when we're talking about hoards of ladies we're talking about your dating sims. But real life people like you too. You think.

You have a wonderful girlfriend that in all reality you have little to nothing in common with. You make it a sport to get along with every kind of nerd. It leaves you at a point where you aren't quite sure what you are yourself. She liked you because she thought you liked anime. You like Naruto, you guess.

Your interests really boil down to vintage video games. You can't count the amount of times you've got an accidental erection just thinking about them. The hardware, the supple buttons, the ridges and valleys and grooves of the soft, plastic controllers. Lets not start on the eight bits soundtracks. You can't go there. You just changed your pants.

You have a bit of a temper but that's okay because it just builds after so long. Deep down you are just a desperate friendly guy who laughs a little weird, and looking at all of your other friends , especially CA, they all laugh weird too. You're in good company.

Today you finally got your hands on a completely seeded torrent file of your favorite dating sim, Happy School Lesson Teacher! Apple Uniform Edition! You haven't left your room since. And yet, your close friend and ex-girlfriend mentioned something about the mail? Could it be a love letter? For the SexMaster1999? Probably. As always, the odds are ever in your favor.

But going to check the mail box would require you to leave your room, and to enter the wilderness of PAP, the land in which you lived. It was hostile, barren, and one could be sure that upon immediate entrance outdoors, you would be covered head to toe in snow. Shit like that doesn't melt for hours, bro.

To make matters worse, you did not have the luxury that townsfolk had - Your driveway was so long that mailmen couldn't make it to the end, so you have to move your mailbox from your doorstep to the end of your winding 'driveway'. You would have to outfit yourself accordingly to make it outside and to make it back in one piece. Although, a check of the weather today would be in order prior to putting on every article of clothing you own.

You gently pause your game, stroking your thumb lovingly along the soft yet supple start button. You promise you will return, re-enacting a scene that had brought you to tears. Tony Hawk Pro skater 2. You hold the controller a little closer, whispering.

"I'm going to go get off the couch now. I'm going to go get off the couch and go _skate."_

You make sure to grab your super non high tech cell phone. The older, the better. Besides, you need your phone on you at all times, you never know when your chums will start to pester you. It could be any moment- and when that moment comes it is imperative you are ready. You have to admit, the service out here is absolute crap at its best, but nonetheless you still have a cellphone. There's usually two bars of service in your room, three in the kitchen, and six in the basement- but you don't talk about the basement. _No one_ talks about the basement.

* * *

_REMEMBER, SEND IN YOUR INFO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS STORY! Hope you enjoyed the story so far._


	2. Duffy: Go into hallway

**[S] Go into the hallway**

The metallic lurch of their painted fins can be heard from a mile away, as one by one they begin jittering to life. The brunette closes his eyes, gulps and closes his eyes, pulling his orange beanie down a little tighter over his ears. It's the singing bass. The singing, _top 40_ bass.

Their green eyes stare into the pit of the boys soul as he begins to run over the hardwood panel flooring. The rooms are unorganized, dark and dusty. It would appear as if the boy lives alone, yet the sound of the fish would make it seem that it was the work of another.

He yells a little as their chanting clattering of "_California Gills_" grows louder and stronger, before they round-a-bout the first chorus and every fish begins to sing in the entire house. The boy throws open the door , bleach bright light seeping through the entrance along with gusts of snow. A trophy fish falls to the floor, but continues convulsing, its mouth gulping along mindlessly at the wrong moments of the song, a strange, familiar male voice belting out a series of sexual words and fishing puns in the lowest of baritone.

The boy reaches for an over sized parka, as stark white as the snow seeping into the room. It hangs off his arms, unfamiliar, yet comfortable, and sinks over his knees. He hastily drags up the zipper, throws on his pair of purple goggles next to the door that has collected quite a bit of dust, and dashes out the door whilst still stumbling into his tall boots. The door closes behind him loudly, the sound of the disjointed singing still finding his freezing ears, still nestling deep into his mind, forever engraved in his memory. There is no escape from their plastic silhouettes, their slack mouths, or the whirring of their ancient machinery driving them forwards along with the countless double a batteries. There is only the illusion of freedom, with the only options being starvation in the depths of PAP or staying put in his warm house, forever to listen to their soundtrack of his own personal torture.

He finds thick padded gloves in the shallow depths of the parkas pockets, quickly putting them over his slender fingers before beginning to make his way out and into the beginning of what would appear to be a long, long road. Trees dot the skyline in the distance against the dark grey, a warning to the boy that darkness would come soon.

He finishes adjusting the laces to his boots before starting off, sprinting down the path. Anything to get away from the trophy bass. _Anything._

Out of the corner of his eyes, he sees a flame seep through the lining of the snow. It sizzles at it rips through the sky, bright light causing him to blink rapidly, desperately trying to focus but completely unable to. Even with his goggles, the blaze is too bright for him to be able to keep his eyes on the object. Meteors? No way. It doesn't make any sense. Right?

He pauses mid jog, wind pulling at his over sized parka. He stares at the now dark sky, pale and relinquished of color. He wonders if it even happened- yet the searing feeling in his retinas begs him to believe otherwise.

He takes a look at his watch before continuing his quick pace onwards. 6:19.

He can't shake the feeling that something is going to happen. He quickly files the feeling away as an after effect of the mechanical trophy fish.

**= CA: PESTER THE OTHER GIRL**

You've been putting it off for long enough.

**colossalArcanine began pestering darkNeko**

**CA:** hey gurl sorry about that , i only just checked my messages

**CA:** i didnt mean to leave you hangin

**DN:** hehe that's ok~

**DN:** it's fine anywaiiiiis me and duff aren't fighting anymore (o˘u˘o)

**CA:** oh well thats good i guess

**DN:** yeah and i think he's going on medication soon

**DN:** sooo maybe he won't be so angry all the time

**DN:** ┐('～`；)┌

**CA:** man how do you evEN DO THaT

**CA:** its like an arT

**DN:** hehe my little secret

**DN:** kawaii aren't they? ~

**CA: **very kawaii

**CA:** SuPeR kAwAiiiiii ~~~*~**~

**CA:** so uhhhHHHh

**CA:** anything new goin on in the kawaii desu world of syd?

**DN:** weeeeell i've been reading a lot of junjou lately ugu

**DN:** it's my new favourite ~

**CA:** ah , the most kawaii of the yaois

**CA:** keep up the good work and maybe someday you will be as sugoi as me

**CA:** my yaoi protege

**DN:** eue

**DN:** m-maybe someday senpai ∩(︶▽︶)∩

**CA:** so you havent been playing many video games lately?

**CA:** just out of curiousity

**CA:** because duffy is always playing something i guess

**CA:** i D K man

**DN:** no i've been trying to catch up with a bunch of animes

**DN:** why do all the good ones have no ending?

**DN:** it's just so unfair T_T

**CA:** hmm im really not sure

**CA:** a question of the ages

**CA:** anyWaYS i have to go uptown

**CA:** text me or something gURl

**colossalArcanine stopped pestering darkNeko**

You weren't actually going uptown, but after finding out what you needed to know, you had bigger matters to attend to. At least you knew that Sydney knew nothing about the game so far, and you knew that you would need to keep it that way.

**= BE SYDNEY**

You are now Sydney Lake, and you are pretty much irrelevant. You're not even sure why you even have an introduction page, honestly. It's not like you are going to cause some sort of time paradox causing multiple time shenanigans, piles of dead friend-corpses, and at least two emotional breakdowns in the future or anything, so you figure that this entire introduction is just formalities.

You have three (3) pass times in life. One (1) you watch every yaoi ever. You were first introduced to the idea of homosexual and homoerotic couples in anime by your strange friends. Recently, you've made friends with a socially capable girl, who you have taken to call your SEMPAI. It is another one of your pass times, your second (2) which is to learn irrelevant Japanese slang. Your third and final hobby is three (3), your boyfriend, Duffy who goes by the name SilverStreak online. He likes anime, you like anime, how could your relationship not be the best? He even listens to you when you talk about Junjou pairings, your favorite yaoi comic at the moment. You guess you could say they were the hot, happening couple of the moment on both the message boards and on your website of choice, Deviantart.

You have a graphic tablet that you barely ever use. You love to draw but you really only copy other peoples styles.

It would seem as though you are completely irrelevant to this new group of friends but yet they still talk to you anyway. You find it a little strange that Madi, CA, didn't stop to chat about the intricacies of your favorite Junjou otps. Maybe it is just the clutch of Mary Browns. You will never know.

**= DO HOMEWORK**

You fail to do homework. You're just not feeling it. Instead you decide to put some work into your absolute favorite hobby: tracing over bases. And god damn are you ever good at it. You waste about two hours on this, and you are utterly content in your complete irrelevance.

**= DN: BE CZ**

You are now CZ, and you are pretty much freezing to death. Why did you think it was a good idea to climb out your window in the middle of winter? Why couldn't you have just braved the rest of the house for 5 seconds? Why are you such an idiot? The world may never know.

You have no time to ponder these questions however, because something much more important has recently come to your attention. You have the motherfucking beta, bro.

**= STOP BEING A FREAK AND GO INSIDE ALREADY**

You temporarily put a hold on your freakishness and open the door. You make it back up the stairs and to your room, only stepping on a few of the offending boxes that your hoarder family has still not unpacked. It has been a year since you have moved here, and all your family members have done is accumulated more stuff. Once you get to your room you immediately go to message Madi, but see that you have other messages waiting for you.

So this is what it's like to be in high demand. Feels good, bro.

**= REPLY TO GR**

**coolstoryZo began pestering gallowsRope**

**CZ:** hey you! what's going on?

**GR:** Hi baby. :)

**GR:** So the problem is that i got this random game in the mail today but i'm scared to play it. :(

**GR:** There's no title on it and i'm afraid it will mess up my new computer.

**CZ:** woah, you got the beta too?

**GR:** Yeah?

**GR:** You have it?

**GR:** Wait, you know more about it than i do? You don't even game though. ;)

**CZ:** mike! that's the beta from homestuck!

**GR:** You're silly. :)

**CZ:** no i'm serious! look i know this all sounds totally weird ok, but just trust me on this.

**CZ:** have i ever let you down?

**GR:** Well...

**CZ:** ok, don't answer that actually.

**GR:** My mla that you were supposed to edit like two weeks ago comes to mind... ;)

**CZ: **you know, you think i'd be done with that stupid mla. i don't even go to your school anymore.

**GR: **A promise is a promise. :(

**CZ: **shut up. i told you i'd get it done, okay? i will.

**CZ:** or i might not even have to, if this game is what i think it is.

**GR:** What do you think it is?

**CZ:** mike, this game is going to end the world.

**GR:** What.

**GR:** Zoee i don't want to end the world because of a dumb comic you read.

**GR:** I like the world.

**GR:** I'm having steak for supper tonight okay, I don't want to miss that.

**GR: **Although i guess you wouldn't appreciate what that means to me, you silly vegan. ;)

**CZ:** ugh no, you don't get it.

**CZ:** also, gross.

**CZ:** look, the world is going to end whether you play the game or not, so you might as well save yourself. also it will be fun. come on, it's just the kind of thing you'd love.

**GR:** Ending the world?

**CZ:** noooooo, getting to be a part of a real-life video game.

**CZ:** you can alchemize badass swords and fight bad guys.

**CZ:** come on, you know you're a little bit excited!

**GR:** No. I am not excited.

**GR:** Not a single bit.

**GR:** Okay yeah that was a lie, i'm excited. :$

**GR:** A little bit upset about the steak, but excited.

**CZ:** once you're in the game you can alchemize a billion steaks if you want.

**CZ:** just so long as i'm not around, that is.

**GR:** Okay, so i'll go install it now?

**CZ:** NO

**CZ:** nononono babe no.

**CZ:** just wait.

**CZ:** we'll tell you when.

**CZ:** we just need to be really methodical and specific about things.

**CZ:** we don't want to doom ourselves. that is the worst thing we can do.

**GR:** So... i won't install it.

**CZ:** not yet.

**CZ:** just go play some non life-altering video games while you wait.

**CZ:** or maybe try to figure out what weapon you want to use once we're in.

**CZ:** prepare the stuff to prototype your sprite.

**GR:** To prototype my what?

**CZ:** ugh.

**CZ:** your sprite is pretty much going to be like, your navi. okay?

**CZ:** it's there to help you through the game.

**CZ:** you get to prototype it twice, and it takes on the shape of the things it's prototyped with. but the thing is, the first prototyping, the one you do before you actually enter the game, affects all the enemies that you'll face throughout the game.

**CZ:** so use something harmless for that one.

**CZ:** like, i don't know, a pillow maybe.

**CZ:** the other one you can pretty much just do whatever.

**GR:** Sounds like a hassle.

**CZ:** oh admit it, if it wasn't homestuck this would be just the kind of thing you'd love.

**GR:** Yeah probably.

**CZ:** ok so go do that, and you will be hearing from me or madi very shortly.

**GR**: Okay, talk to you later.

**GR:** Love you :$

**coolstoryZo stopped pestering gallowsRope**

You start to suspect that more people got the beta than you previously thought.

**= REPLY TO WU**

**coolstoryZo began pestering wattsUp**

**CZ:** is party rock in the house tonight?

**WU:** No sorry, party rock is busy right now, can I take a message?

**CZ:** alright, just let him know that every day i'm shuffling.

**WU:** I will make sure that message makes it to party rock.

**CZ:** hahah oh my god.

**WU:** Okay so I'm basically freaking out about the English essay.

**WU:** Are you doing conflict or symbolism?

**WU:** What quotes should I use from Lord of the Flies?

**WU:** Urghhhhhhhhh

**CZ:** i wouldn't really worry about it if i were you.

**WU:** No, like you're able to just BS everything but I'm so bad at it.

**CZ:** just trust me here, don't stress about it.

**WU:** Are you sure? I was supposed to do it on Tuesday but mom called in for me.

**CZ:** it will be okay. seriously.

**CZ:** so i've been talking to a bunch of people who got weird cd's in the mail. did you get one?

**WU:** I don't know, I wasn't really paying attention.

**WU:** Oh wait

**WU:** Yeah, I did actually!

**WU:** Do you know what it is?

You are not sure how to answer this. Your friend isn't very into fantasy or video games. As evidenced by her physics themed username, she is more of the practical science type. She wouldn't believe you. And if she did, she wouldn't play. You need to handle this carefully.

**CZ:** nope, but i'm going to try it out on my old crappy computer.

**CZ:** i dunno, hold onto it. it might be something cool.

**CZ:** i'll let you know!

**CZ:** i'll be right back

**WU:** Okay!

**coolstoryZo stopped pestering wattsUp**

This is real. This is happening.

**= FINALLY GET BACK TO CA**

**CZ:** i have it!

**CA:** BRO where have you been

**CZ:** do you even need to question all the weird shit i get into when i go downstairs?

**CA:** ...yeeeEEEaAAAhhhhhh

**CZ:** well anyway, i've been talking to mike and anna and they have betas too.

**CA:** no WAY

**CZ:** yeah way. we need to be careful about this though.

**CZ:** mike knows about what it is, anna doesn't.

**CA:** zo why would you tell mike

**CA:** why would you do that

**CZ:** dude, calm down. he's actually excited about it.

**CA:** hes not going to take it seriously

**CA:** he'll just screw around and hes going to doom us all

**CA**: ugh zo

**CZ:** no, trust me. he will take it seriously, and he's good at games, so he's an asset.

**CA:** im a good gamer too... :c

**CA:** now you offended me

**CZ:** madi. need i remind you of that time when you couldn't open the gate?

**CZ: **in twilight princess? and mike basically saved you hours of wasted time?

**CA:** SCRew OFF

**CZ:** ehehe

**CA:** ZO you are hurting my feEELiNGS

**CZ:** sorry...

**CZ:** that i'm not sorry!

**CZ:** no seriously though, he won't screw up. i'll make sure of it.

**CA:** ok well im trusting you

**CZ:** have you been talking to anyone else yet?

**CA:** i messaged robbie but he hasnt responded yet

**CA:** uguuuuuuu

**CZ:** okay well figure some shit out if you can!

**CZ:** we have no idea how long we have left!

**CA:** okay well im going to message ian i guess

**CA:** hes the only one left i think

**CZ:** ok well you do that!

**coolstoryZo stopped pestering colossalArcanine**

**= CA: PESTER IAN**

Lazily, you readjust yourself so that the blanket of shih tzus accumulated on every perchable crest of your body tumble off you in a way that isn't considered abusive. You pat Coco on the head as you retrieve your cell phone from your oversized man jacket. You don't know why you wear it. You have plenty of other, nicer looking jackets. Peacoats, even. And yet, you find yourself wearing this raggedy old thing that makes you look as though you're a poor mother of five. The Mary Browns visor does not help your case. You are convinced you wear this jacket because everything always happens to be and is in this jacket.

Although the only reason why you even wear this jacket in the first place is because everything is in it is because you put it there, due to the fact you wear it too frequently to not have those things in it, causing you to wear it more because its convenient than relocating your car keys and your house keys and your hoarde of religious emblems. Let's not start the explanation of your religious quirks. Let's just settle in on the paradox your three dollar jacket just created.

For a moment you stop to ponder the actual worth of your jacket. It's some lame old people brand. Tommy Hillfiger. You wonder if some people think you're hip wearing this. You attempt to calculate this along with how old they would be. As you unlock your passcode to your phone, (which alternates between C-A-G-E , numerically 2-2-4-3 and N-I-C-K, numerically 6-4-2-4. You will admit that the fact you have to spell Nic's beautiful nickname incorrectly causes you to feel a little strange, but nonetheless your lock screens change once people figure it out.) you slip on your jacket. The time is 6:42. You have to leave in about eight minutes.

The fact you are doing so much math in so little time is freaking you out. Perhaps your work as fry cook slash cashier is legitimately taking a toll on you.

It is a less known thing, but there is only one thing you hate in life. Math. If it were alive you would kill it, just as it has attempted to kill your soul, on multiple occasions.

Oh, and you hate Hitler too. He was an evil man. You'd kill him. It's always important to mention him when you hate something to give yourself that extra perspective. Just to make sure that you really hate them and this isn't some kind of hate fling. You try not to whore your hate around.

**= CA: PESTER IAN BEFORE WORK. HURRY!**

**ColossalArcanine began pestering glossMug**

**CA:** REAl niggA wazzah?

**GM:** Not much ... just havin a time

**CA:** COOOOOOOOOOOOooooooOOoooOOOo oooL hey listen up, listen ok any weird things recently

**GM:** Weird things... like ... what exactly

**CA:** Okay so ill real talk with you but essentially theres this beta going around for this sick game.

**GM:** What kind?

**CA:** its worth waiting for bro. Just check your mail so we can check to see who got it and who didnt. You have plans tonight? or in the near future?

**GM:** Don't think so, actually.. maybe I'll be with the gf. I don't know.

**CA:** Cancel them. Shits about to get real ReAL quicK all up in hurr.

**GM: **Maaaybe. Only because you are special.

**GM: **Haha kidding...

**GM: **But seriously, I might.

**CA:** Ill text you in a little bit im going to download this shit now, get this show on the roaD

**GM:** Okay

**CA:** By the way

**CA:** Whatever you do

**CA:** Don't tell anyone else about this

**CA:** And don't download it till i tell you

**CA:** K bro pcE luV u my hoMeo RomEo ~*~*~*~*~* 3 3 #

**ColossalArcanine stopped pestering GlossMug**

* * *

_Reviews are always appreciated. Greatly! Make sure to comment if you want your OC to be featured. 3 _


	3. CA: Notice New Messages

You notice some new messages buzzing up from your chat client. Weird. You ignore them completely, pulling out the cd from the envelope, clicking it into place in your laptops thin and fragile disk tray. You consider briefly that this may break. Gently, you swirl it once for good measure before closing the tray. You haul open your chat window with CZ before waiting in a weird anticipation for this game. You check the clock again. 6:46.

**ColossalArcanine began pestering CoolstoryZo**

**CA:** where doing thsi bro

**CA:** Ware makning this HappEN

**CZ:** everyone has this beta, it's too perfect for it not to be perfect.

**CA:** im just going to download it now, if its the client awesome, if its the server weird, if its fake whatever.

**CA:** pretty much willing to do anything at this point

**CA:** except hitler

**CZ:** ...i don't understand how he's relevant.

**CZ:** but ok!

**CA:** Well if you think about it

**CA:** im basically becoming Hitler right now

**CA:** im about to partake in a game

**CA:** to relinquish the human race

**CA:** but I guess its okay because I'll recreate them again? If we win I guess were both god? I dont know

**CA:** Is hitler god?

**CA:** WHAT IF GOD WAS ONE OF US

**CZ:** we haven't even started the game and already i'm questioning your stability as the lead player...

As your computer whirs to action, you feel the rock of the ground quivering under you feet. Slowly, you gaze outwards and into your backyard, through the slender windows of your room. You notice the blood red color tear through the sky before settling somewhere on the distant horizon. You are half curious to check the weather forecast or watch the news downstairs- perhaps spend your last few moments of personal freedom doing something stupid and idiotic- or you could just spend it staring at your computer screen with a feeling akin to going head first down a flight of stairs coursing through you.

There is no clicking accept to the game engine. Slowly it consumes your computer screen. You hear your pester chum slink down, see all of your open fire fox tabs slowly wither away to nothing. You have no way to communicate at this point aside from your cellphone, which you quickly grab and toss into your slacker hoodie.

A large, daunting image of what appears to be a mathematical diagram appears on the screen. The ground shakes again, violently this time, jolting you and your laptop and the dozens of lap dogs to the floor with a unceremonious thud. You can't see out of your window from your tan carpeted floor, but you can see the ominous glare of fire against the sky. Apparently, the impact did not effect your computer or its disc reading capabilities, because sburb was loading perfectly clear on your monitor. Now you had to wait. You try to maneuver your cellphone from your pocket to tell Zo to start up her beta but you keep coming up with other, undesirable objects. First, hand fulls of spare crack change you made in tips. Essentially, its useless. No more than fifty cents in copper pennies. Next, you pull out a set of Christmas earrings, and finally, your phone. Even the pockets in this thing are over sized. Why couldn't you keep a purse like a normal teenage girl?

You find yourself putting both the Christmas earrings and boat load of pennies back into the pockets of your jacket before you stop to think about it. You guess you did it because of the dogs? You don't want to have to bring all of the dogs to the hospital because they were stupid enough to snort up whole pennies. You wouldn't put anything past them.

**= CA: DON'T YOU HAVE WORK?**

You jolt upwards, nearly hurling three shih tzus that'd taken refuge on your stomach to go hurling across your bedroom. Work. _**Work**_. You're now late. You are now late for Mary Smith's. Tardiness at Mary Smith's is never forgiven. Hell, forgetting a fork at Mary Smith's is never forgiven. You pray to each individual saint that this game will send you to your own world, in which there is no Mary Smith's. Somehow, you can hear the jokes already. The land of Coselaw and Fried Chicken...

Your phone begins to ring. There are a number of people who could be calling you. CZ, for one. It could also be SS, trying to figure out what time you were off work. Or it could be work calling. Instead of answering, you stare at the incoming call message and try to not feel as sick as you feel you are progressively becoming.

**= ENOUGH WHINING ABOUT PART-TIME JOBS. BE THE OTHER BOY.**

It appears as though you are near shoulder depth in snow. Although it sounds impressive, you are not of the highest stature. But you would greatly approve if we go with the snow being that high and it's really not just you being incredibly short.

There is a slight trail that has accumulated behind you from your fresh footprints. Alas, you have almost made it to the end of your painful 'driveway'. If you ever, ever, ever, EVER hear anyone complain about driveway sizes (let's get real here, who does except you) you will seriously lose your mind. You will just lose it. You think if anything was going to be the last straw, it would be townie people problems about fucking driveways.

You out stretch a quivering hand to rest on the red metal frame of your whimsical mailbox. Even that thing is tormenting you. Today is a bad day. It's officially decided. You determine that the only thing that can cheer you up is women. And sadly, all of those women would be back in your house, on your varied consoles. A house that is a 30 minute half trudge half waddle, back into the dark depths of a singing bass musical emporium. Excellent.

Momentarily you consider just walking and keeping walking. PAP occasionally will get to your head like that.

**= OPEN THE MAILBOX!**

You open the mailbox to determine if there is anything of value inside. It's hard to tell what you're feeling because of your densely padded winter wear, so you squat down to a strange angle of an even lower latitude than you already are and try to peek inside. All that is in your joke of a mailbox is a single, blank envelope. Intriguing.

You take it out delicately. Its contents are a mystery, therefore you must treat it as though it could shatter at the slightest of a touch. You are unsure if you should open it here. A word of advice from one of your favorite hand held games comes to mind : _You can't ride your bike in here! There is a time and place for everything!_

You will admit that the second part was the only part that was necessary for the quote. You just are a bit of a jokester so you had to add the last part in. That and because the reference wouldn't make sense without it. Carefully, you take the envelope and place in in the breast pocket of your parka before tightening up the zippers and numerous pulley contraptions that proclaim to keep snow out. Obviously these people didn't do experiments in PAP. Snow still got everywhere.

You pull out your cell phone once you hear the distinctive chirp of your wonderful girlfriends ring tone. It's from an anime that you _say_ you watch but you really don't. Brownie points, bro, brownies.

**DarkNeko began pestering SilverStreak**

**DN:** ...so... oVo ... ivebeenthinkingaboutusreally hard... and um ... ijustreallyloveuokayuaresocu teandhandsomeoh wow -very much blushes atm-

**SS:** I love you too baby

**SS:** For some reason Madi convinced me to go to my mailbox so I'm stuck out here for a while baby. 3

**SS:** I got some weird envelope. Don't know whats inside.

**DN:** Yesss! I got one too! So SUGOI!~~~~*~*~* (-`u`)-

**SS:** Dude, seriously?

**SS:** You're not kidding, right?

**DN:** Of course sempai why would i kid to you -blushes like crazy-

**DN:** -touches cheeks-

**DN:** -they are very hot with thoughts of u-

**SS:** *cuddles you tenderly*

**SS:** *kisses you*

**SS:** Wait

**SS:** This envelope, what's in it Syd? 3

**DN:** -licks ur face-

**DN:** Idk...~~~~*~*~* :3

**SS:** Syd. Seriously. Whats in the envelope.

**DN:** Look inside it yourself DinguS c:

**SS:** Has Madi got you saying that too

**SS:** Why does Madi make everyone say that

**SS:** Can this not be a thing please

You start to trudge your way back as you text, caught between role playing some kind of strange mix of furry smut and anime fluff and arguing about how no one should call you Dingus ever. Why Dingus? Why? Out of all the things that could have been pinned on you, Dingus? What does Dingus even mean, really?

You conclude that you will research this once you enter your house. You are curious to open you package, especially since Sydney will not tell you what contents it holds. You could, perhaps, open it. But what if it were to blow away by a sudden gust? What if it was something that could only be opened once? What if it were a love letter from your truely beloved? Oh, you would settle for either. Therefore, you would treat it as such.

Did you ever mention you had a tendency to get your hopes up?

**= BE GR**

You are now GR, and you are very confused about this whole beta business. As much as you would like to believe your girlfriend, you are left to deal with the small little fact that she's pretty much bats shit insane at the best of times and just because she wholeheartedly believes something does most definitely not mean it's the truth. This tip about the beta is coming from the same girl who spent an entire day arguing with you about whether Russia is a continent, and who genuinely thinks that there is an invisible map on the back of the Declaration of Independence. You decide to seek council from your wisest friend.

He doesn't actually harbor any large amounts of wisdom, but he is the best option you have. Admittedly it's not that difficult of a feat, seeing as you have all of two friends, but it couldn't hurt to get a second opinion. Did Zoee say that you couldn't tell anyone? You don't think she did. Even so, the world is ending anyway, so it's not like anyone would be around to rat you out.

**= PESTER KK**

**gallowsRope began pestering krazyKerrang**

**GR:** Hey man.

**GR:** I need some advice.

**GR:** Seriously, i need advice so badly that i'm asking you.

**GR:** Okay whatever, just get back to me when you're done watching your girlfriend make out with sam.

**gallowsRope stopped pestering krazyKerrang**

Even though your friend is most likely not actually watching his girlfriend make out with Sam (although you really wouldn't put it past any of those three), you are getting anxious and impatient, and when you get anxious and/or impatient you can be a little bit of a bitch.

To take your mind off the potentially impending apocalypse, you decide to figure out what to prototype your sprite with just in case shit is legit. Unfortunately, this only serves to remind you of said potential impending apocalypse, as well as just how uncreative you really are.

Zoee said prototype with something harmless first, right? You start to wonder if there is really anything that is fully harmless. Just how harmless does this thing have to be? You mentally start reviewing objects that you might consider to be harmless, only to systematically reject every single one because you are just too damn paranoid for your own good.

Maybe a t-shirt? Well if you reaaaaaally wanted to, you could strangle somebody with a t-shirt. Or smother someone. Or hang yourself, if you were really determined. Does hanging yourself really count as a danger here? It's better to be safe than sorry. You could use something small, like an orange. No, someone could throw an orange at your head like your childhood friend did once, and even a kid throwing it hurt. A dangerous person could throw it hard enough to give you a concussion. Just how much strength do these sprites have? Are they danger here? Like little evil Navis?

All this thinking is doing you more harm than good. You decide to just use a pillow like Zo suggested, and trust that she knows how to negate any danger that these evil Navi sprites could possibly cause. You probably wouldn't have been able to think of anything good anway. The best option you came up with on your own was an orange. Could you be any more of an idiot? The world may never know.

**= BE DUFFY AGAIN**

You try to be Duffy again, but fail. You are stuck being this idiot. Who even IS this guy?

**= SERIOUSY, WHO IS HE?**

You name is Mike Everett and you are kind of a loser, you guess. You mostly spend your time playing any video games you can get your hands on and reading extremely complex and convoluted fantasy novels. You often like to brag about how you won a medal at a track and field race four years ago but you are actually a terrible athlete now. You spend most of your time on the computer, and you use two monitors, which automatically makes you kind of a douchebag. You don't care. Who will be laughing when you can play the game while reading the game faqs walkthrough AT THE SAME TIME? Not them, that's for sure.

You have a total of two friends, only one of whom is relevant in the slightest. You also have Zoee, who is pretty much a friend, girlfriend, babysitter, mother, teacher and maid all wrapped into one slightly neurotic and emotionally unstable package. You have a job that is supposed to be selling WalMart brand electronics to noobs, but mostly involves hiding out in the stock room and playing kirby games on your Nintendo DS. Usually you eat at least one bacon grill cheese sandwich a day.

Yeah, you guess you could say your life as you know it is pretty damn good. Well, except when it's going to end because of some shitty webcomic with a really weird fanbase.

Oh look, KK responded to your pestering while you were doing your introduction spiel. He was never one for timing.

**= RESPOND TO KK**

**krazyKerrang started pestering gallowsRope**

**KK:** HEY, not cool!

**KK:** why would she want Sam when she could have this sexy stud?

**KK:** never mind dont answer that please!

**KK:** damnit, are you not replying now because I weirded you out?

**KK:** no homo, man

**KK:** not a homo in sight

**KK:** except maybe you?

**KK:** it's ok man, I support you no matter what

**KK:** File transfer of " 3" cancelled.

**GR:** Ha ha, that has to be the wittiest thing i have ever heard.

**GR:** Except i'm being sarcastic.

**GR:** That wasn't actually very witty.

**KK:** yeah, I'm a little bit off my game today

**KK:** my swag stock is slowly draining

**KK:** I have reached less than 5% swag

**KK:** I didn't turn my swag off before I went to bed last night

**KK:** woke up covered in bitches

**KK:** not a bad morning but I didn't have any time left to recharge

**GR:** With great swag comes great responsibility.

**KK:** it certaintly does, my friend

**GR:** Okay, so i have a situation right now.

**GR:** It's going to sound retarded, but just keep in mind that it is not actually me who told me this.

**KK:** in english please?

**GR:** So i was talking to zoee earlier...

**KK:** ohhhhh

**KK:** now it makes sense

**KK:** well

**KK:** i guess as much sense as anything else she says

**GR:** No you haven't even heard it yet.

**GR:** So she was telling me about this game that's going to end the world.

**GR:** And normally i'd just dismiss it as one of her weird things against video games.

**GR:** But I actually got the game in the mail today.

**GR:** No markings, not even a proper package. Just this game that apparently ends the world.

**KK:** ok now I know you're trolling because I got a game in the mail

**KK:** ooOOOOh huge coincidence! wow!

**KK:** my little naieve mind is eating up every once of this!

**KK:** so who put you up to this? madi?

**KK:** this is SO a thing madi and zoee would do

**KK:** you can tell me

**GR:** No, i'm just telling you what zo told me.

**GR:** I'm not that much of a douche.

**KK:** welllllllLLllLlLLL

**GR:** Hey, you're not much better. :(

**GR:** Yeah i was pretty sure it was kind of ridiculous.

**GR:** Thanks man, i was just being paranoid again.

**gallowsRope stopped pestering krazyKerrang**


	4. Madi: Panic

**[S] Madi: Panic**

The snow roared through the sky, delicate flakes of frozen water cascaded in huge heaves against the frame of an average sized house. Inside, a girl scrambles to gather all of her things. It is apparent she may have a weakness in her right ankle, for she limps a little and is careful not to put herself in a situation where the earth quakes hitting her part of town could cause her to trip and fall. She is quickly attempting to make phone call after phone call but no one is answering. It is clear panic is starting to set in. On her useless laptop screen, sits a sparkling image of a diagram, stark white against pitch black , spinning slowly in a motion that does not ruin the diagrams structure but instead signify s some kind of fluidity to the picture. Beneath it, a twenty minute timer is ticking down. The laptop is useless. She slams her hands against every key. She pulls the disc out of the tray of her laptop. As she does so, the Earth gives another great heave and she misses the disc tray, clearly ripping it out from the holder of her laptop. It will not fit back in. Nonetheless, the timer still clicks down the time.

In another house, wider and closer to the ocean, sits a girl on her similar yet admitedly more durable laptop. She types furiously, to no avail. The person will not reply, cannot reply. She opens an envelope and considers it, thinking so hard her thoughts could almost be read from her face. She is unsure. She lays the disc into her tray, before closing her eyes and sliding the tray closed with a soft 'click'.

A boy is running in the cold snow, fingers near frostbite, as fast as he can. Motherfucking asteroids. Earthquakes. Desperately, he tries to make it from the long, snow covered road back to his house. He has much, difficult and challenging running left to make before the end of the timer.

Which is still ticking down, still ticking, still ticking.

A taller boy sits behind a set of two screens, oblivious to the action that is occurring until he stumbles upon a news article. His eyes widen in fear. He realizes the reality. This isn't a joke. They were serious.

His heart hammers in his chest. He denies the fear first to himself and then promises to prevent it from leaking out to others. His hands shake. His whole body shakes. He could almost cry. He sinks, softly, to the plank of his desk, before trying to get a grip of himself.

This couldn't be happening.

He stares at the envelope sitting on his night stand. It is unopened. His curiosity and fear overwhelm him. His eyes remain fixed to it.

Such a simple object that would cause a world of worlds. It would end everything, become everything and create everything.

And it could be simply contained by a brown, generic envelope.

**coolstoryZo began pestering colossalArcanine**

**CZ:** ok so have you been talking to anyone?

**CZ:** madi?

**CZ:** dude i need to know what's going on!

**CZ:** this is not a drill

**CZ:** madi ok i'm fucking afriaid right now

**CZ:** MADI

**CZ:** this is the ACTUAL BETA

**CZ:** i think i am seeing meteors

**CZ:** ok i am fucking shaking WHY ARE YOU NOT REPLYING

**CZ:** goddamnit what are you doing

**CZ:** WHAT are you doing

**CZ:** ok i am tempted to install the server JUST to see what the fuck you are doing

**CZ:** madi

**CZ:** i'm going to start this okay?

**CZ:** i'm setting in motion this chain of events

**CZ:** because as much as i don't want to die

**CZ:** i want to at least try to live

**CZ:** i'm going to install it

**CZ:** i'm doing it.

**CZ:** i'm doing this.

**coolstoryZo connected to colossalArcanine**

**= BE THE PHYSICS GIRL**

Your name is Anna Scott and you are usually the physics girl. Right now you cannot be the physics girl however, because you are much too busy being the English essay girl. Or you would be, if you weren't distracted by what appears to be a meteor?

This is troubling. Obviouly. Why is there a meteor? Surely it can't be dangerous, right? You turn on the radio and listen. There is a man talking, his voice is overall calm with a hint of strain, as if he is trying very hard to hold back some other emotion entirely. He is in the middle of listing off procedures in case of an emergency.

It's dangerous. You need to figure out what's going on. A quick google search of "meteors january 2013" yields a plethora of frantic posts on forums and the odd rushed news article. You can't help but wonder how nobody knew about this until today. There are astrophysicists that make a living from sitting around and not noticing a huge meteor, you guess, and something about this does not sit right with you.

**wattsUp began pestering coolstoryZo**

**WU:** Did you hear about the meteors?!

**CZ:** yes.

**CZ:** don't freak out. it's going to be okay.

**WU:** Zoee. People ALL OVER THE WORLD are freaking out about this.

**WU:** I don't understand how you can be so calm.

**WU:** How can I not freak out?

**WU:** There are METEORS.

**CZ:** it will be fine. i promise.

**CZ:** i tried that disk, the one from the mail.

**WU:** No offense, but that really isn't my main priority right now.

**WU:** We can't exactly play a computer game if we die.

**CZ:** no, it is really interesting actually.

**CZ:** we are not going to die.

**CZ:** i think maybe you should try it in a little bit.

**CZ:** first try to relax.

**CZ:** have a snack. you're less likely to panic when your blood sugar levels are stable.

**CZ:** i learned that from you.

**CZ:** ok?

**CZ:** so just have a snack and then message me, and i'll tell you how to install the thing.

**CZ:** i can tell you now we're not going to die.

**WU:** Okay. I'm trusting you.

**WU:** I don't know how you know this, but I hope you're right.

**WU:** I'll go make an omlette.

**wattsUP stopped pestering coolstoryZo**

You turn on the stove, and start methodically cracking eggs, all the while pushing aside your sneaking suspicion that your best friend just might know something that you don't.

**= BE GLOSS MUG.**

You don't want to wake up yet. It's only six o'clock, and you only got to sleep last night around four. You'll wake up when it's black outside.

**= YOU NEED TO WAKE UP.**

You toss in your bed, groaning. You don't want to. You just want to sleep. Is it a crime to be this tired?

**= WAKE UP!**

You let out a loud sigh before trying to sit up. Your heart beats widly from the sudden movement and you find it slightly challenging to breathe for a moment. You rub the sleep from your eyes and swing your legs over the side of the bed. Your cell phone begins to ring. As you look at the clock you quickly realize its 6:42. It appears you've slept in.

**ColossalArcanine began pestering GlossMug**

**CA:** REAl niggA wazzah?

**GM:** Not much ... just havin a time

**CA:** COOOOOOOOOOOOooooooOOoooOOOo oooL hey listen up, listen ok any weird things recently

**GM:** Weird things... like ... what exactly

**CA:** Okay so ill real talk with you but essentially theres this beta going around for this sick game.

**GM:** What kind?

**CA:** its worth waiting for bro. Just check your mail so we can check to see who got it and who didnt. You have plans tonight? or in the near future?

**GM:** Don't think so, actually.. maybe I'll be with the gf. I don't know.

**CA:** Cancel them. Shits about to get real ReAL quicK all up in hurr.

**GM: **Maaaybe. Only because you are special.

**GM: **Haha kidding...

**GM: **But seriously, I might.

**CA:** Ill text you in a little bit im going to download this shit now, get this show on the roaD

**GM:** Okay

**CA:** By the way

**CA:** Whatever you do

**CA:** Don't tell anyone else about this

**CA:** And don't download it till i tell you

**CA:** K bro pcE luV u my hoMeo RomEo ~*~*~*~*~* 3 3 #

**colossalArcanine stopped pestering glossMug**

Needless to say you are now incredibly curious. But you like your pjs. And you like your warm bed. You pull your hoodie a little tighter to you, hauling up the zipper before making the incredibly tough decision of whether or not to wake up. You wish you could turn back time so you could sleep here for days. Sadly, thats impossible.

You allow your eyes to slowly flutter closed before you recieve another series of loud, yet equally obnoxious ringtones informing you of another one of your chums. You unlock your phone, and try to close your eyes and catch a bit more sleep every time you wait for a reply.

**wattsUp began pestering glossMug**

**WU:** Did you see that?!

**GM:** What...

**GM:** What is going on everyone is texting me all of these cryptic messages

**GM:** Seriously

**WU:** Well, apparently the whole world is in a state of emergency.

**WU:** There are meteors.

**WU:** Giant meteors.

**WU:** Ian what do we do?

**GM: **What are you talking about...

**WU:** Zoee seems to know about this. I shouldn't be this worried.

**WU:** I might go eat something.

**WU:** Yeah I should eat something.

**GM:** I really dont understand...

**WU:** Me either.

**GM:** Okay at least we're in the same boat

**wattsUp stopped pestering glossMug**

You stop for a moment and wonder if this is actually serious. You hold your phone to your chest. You can't sleep now. Not at all. You are wide awake.

While you are awake and pestering your chum, you decide it'd be cool for us to get to know you a little better.

Your full name is Ian McLean. You are an ambiguous case in many forms of the sense. You guess you would consider yourself to be strange, albeit a weirdo and yet you have 'popular' friends and are quite charismatic. You do not have many hobbies that don't contradict themselves – such as your hate for skateboards but your affinity for skate boaring games. Your room is dominated by a large bed, covered in blankets, a small closet filled with all of the blue hoodies a teenage boy could ever want, and numerous posters of Russel Brand- your favourite tragic hero. The sheer amount of things that poor man had to go through. Sometimes, you look into his soulful eyes and your problems just evaporate. That dude knows the pain of one thousand wounded men. That dude knows the pain of your very soul.

Unlike the others that we have met so far, you are friends with almost every one. You're friends with the short one, the one with all the dogs, the slightly neurotic one, the science one- even the one who uses nothing but .mp3 files to speak occasionally.

You also are very proud of your taste in music. Currently, you are listening to your sleep cd, a mix or Rob Zombie and Queen. You will admit to anyone that you love to sing. And they will admit, god dammit, that you can. You can sing like an angel. You will exercise your right to sing at any given moment. As you get up to look at one of your favourite of your Russel Brand's poster collection, you find yourself singing to some of Queens top hits. You stroke Russels glossy cheek bones before allowing your worries of some game and imaginary asteroids to wash away into his pale flesh before putting on another layer, another blue hoodie to make your way outside. You might as well check your mail. You've learned very easily that one does not simply deny a request from Madi and live to tell the tale.

Sure, it was winter were you lived but it was a gentle winter. There was no need to bundle up, you just simply felt a little more chill, a little crisper. Trees lost their leaves. Occasionally, thick snowflakes would blanket your lawn. Just enough to crunch under the sole of your sneakers, not enough to shovel.

In fact, you weren't much of a fan of winter so it didn't bother you. You could never imagine living somewhere where snow would scale up past your knees. Never. Besides,blue jackets don't look good on you. You don't know how many blue hoodies you'd have to stack in order to achieve maximum warmth.

Considering all this , you decide to exit the house as you are. Your mailbox is just where it always is, you extract a handful of flyers before setting your hands on a strange, obscure object. It is this that instantly grabs your attention. You withdraw it and -

Oh.

It's a flyer for Mary Smith's. Funny joke, Madi. You don't know what you were expecting, honestly.

You hurl the assortment of flyers onto the table, absentmindedly continuing to hold onto the Mary Smith's brochure. As you pivot and make your way back to your room to text Madi and remind her about how much of a faggot she is, you hear a weird sound that definitely does not sound like a flyer hitting the wooden table of your dining room. You turn back around, feeling as though you should walk carefully. Its an envelope. There's no address – perhaps its on the other side?

Nothing.

You look to your right and your left, curious to see if your stepfather is anywhere in the building. He freaks you out. He's also practically Satan. He chastises you about everything you do – good or bad, and sometimes you wish you could just go back in time and erase him from your life. You can't handle him. You never could. The thought of spending another day in his presence makes you tired. You could use another nap.

You don't know if you should just open the envelope. What if it is your step-father's? Then you're fucked. You don't even know what your stepfather does aside from yelling at you decorating the house in Hello Kitty everything. You felt you didn't need to draw attention to it. You've gotten used to seeing the cats pink face over everything. You think its your step-father's (incredibly weird) way of showing his affection for your mother, but you will never be sure.

You will never really know.

You decide you will bring the envelope with you seeing as he is nowhere in sight. You lazily hurl off your sneakers and head back to the comfort of your room to message Madi and see what to do next. And to poke fun at her. But mostly to find out what to do next.

**= CA: ANSWER YOUR CHUMS**

You stop mid-panic attack to withdraw your phone and to continue frantically pestering CZ. You notice you now have 10 messages left unattended and unaccounted for, but you need Zoee to reply before your house and the surrounding area gets smacked off the face of the Earth by an Asteroid.  
As the clock ticks down to the tenth minute, you notice a light orb, wafting through the air and settling next to your bookshelf. You know what you must do.

**= FIND PUFFS TISSUSES**

You gallop around your room like a maniac searching for a box of tissues. You knew you were going to prototype something useless but god damn, this takes the cake. Without any regard for anything you toss the square box you find straight into the orb, as the transformation begins to take place. It swirls and twists and streches, until you are left with some kind of sprite that looks like a blanket ghost you'd make for halloween. You giggle a little- despite your panic, and wonder what your first conversation would go like. Yes. Conversations. You really should see who's messaging you.

**KrazyKerang began pestering ColossalArcanine**

**KK:** dude man

**KK:** dUDE

**KK:** where are you

**KK:** whats going on

**KK:** MADi

**KK:** I did get something in the mail. just like you and Mike said.

**KK:** and I just saw motherfucking asteroids.

**KK:** seriously.

**KK:** what do I do?

**KK:** I've got swag but I don't have that much swag to handle this.

**KK:** MADI

**KK:** please answer me man

**KK:** I don't know what to do

**KK:** to be completely honest I'm scared.

**CA:** Ok dude do you have the cd in your handS

**KK:** MADI there you are are you okay

**CA:** I'm fine, you're going to be fine too , okay. Now, do you have the cd?

**KK:** it's right here.

**CA:** Okay, hold on to it. YOU wiLL RECiEVE InSTRUCTIONS FROM MiKE OK

**KK:** why Mike?

**CA:** That's the order we're going in. Now, I don't know what Mike told you, but you have to prototype with something harmless, okay?

**KK: **I have to what now?

**CA:** you'll know when it happens okay

**KK: **okay so I'll keep that in mind, whatever it means.

**CA:** I just threw a tissue in there, do something diffferent than that though for gods sake

**KK:** Madi are you sure you're going to be okay

**KK:** whats happening?

**CA:** It's too long to begin to explain right now, once you enter the medium I'll tell you everything I know.

**CA:** Don't sweat this shit now just get as much of your shit in one place. Figure out what weapon you want to have.

**KK:** we need weapons?

**CA:** Yeah, we do bRo so bE ready

**CA:** I've gotta go, I've only got 7 minutes left.

**ColossalArcanine ceased pestering KrazyKerang**

**KK:** Until what?

**KK:** What ?

**KK:** ?

**= CA: ANSWER YOUR OTHER CHUMS**

You check your other conversations. You don't have very much time left at all.

**SilverStreak began pestering ColossalArcanine**

**SS:** Hey

**SS:** So I checked the mail and did you send me a loveletter babe?

**SS:** I haven't opened it yet but I'm flattered

**SS:** I hope it is a love letter

**SS:** That'd be wonderful

**SS:** What are you doing today?

**SS:** We should video chat

**SS:** I miss you

**SS:** What are you doing?

**SS:** Message me when you can.

**SS:** The trophy bass won't stop singing but I'm too cold to go back outside.

**SS:** I hate PAP

**SS:** Everyone hates PAP

**SS:** PAPers hate PAP

**SS:** See like PAPers should /like/ PAP.

**CA:** Okay so you got the envelope right

**SS:** What is it? Is it for me?

**CA:** Everyone got the envelope. Don't do anything OK.

**SS:** I wasn't really planning on doing anything

**CA:** It's important you just sit tight until someone messages you

**SS:** I was just going to sit around my house all day

**CA:** We'll let you know when we're ready.

**SS:** and be a useless peice of shit

**CA:** CoOl.

**SS:** I pretty much have this new dating sim beat anyway.

**CA:** I'm not kidDing bro.

**SS:** About what?

**CA:** Nevermind.

**SS:** ?

**CA:** Boobs don't do anything stupid boobs.

**CA:** Did you listen that time

**CA:** Since it was in between tWo TiTs

**CA:** I bet you MotherFUCking did

**CA:** I'm a genie

**CA:** HavE fun WankinG to Those HoT booBs.

**SS:** Oh ok

**CA:** Be good.

**ColossalArcanine stopped pestering SilverStreak**

**= BE THE CONFUSED GUY**

You are now the confused guy, but that's nothing new. Your name is Robbie Rivas, your online handle is krazyKerrang, and you spend most of your life being the confused guy. Right now you are confused about two things in particular.

1) You don't understand what everyone's deal with this apocalyptic game/elaborate prank is.

2) You aren't sure why you haven't had a proper introduction when even the seemingly most irrelevant character in this entire story has had one, and you think it's totally unfair.

Oh Robbie, you will understand these things in time. If you would like though, we could just go ahead and introduce you now. Yes? Well, if you insist!

As previously mentioned, your name is Robbie, and more often than not you tend to be a little bit slow on the uptake. Aside from languishing in your near-perpetual state of bewilderment, however, you do have a variety of other passtimes. You spend a lot of your free time playing guitar which you are surprisingly good at actually. You can also be found perusing the internet for ironically funny sound bites, or recording your own, to be used in conversations with your chums. A lot of people don't get your sense of humour, but they are probably just not cool enough to understand.

Seriously, you are like the coolest dude alive. You even wear cardigans, and you style your hair in a way that could only be described as a "white-boy afro." Goddamn, you've got swag. Anyone who can't see that must be blind or something.

Now that you've got all that introduction business over with, what will you do?

**= ABSENTMINDEDLY GAZE OUT THE WINDOW**

You let your line of sight drift towards the window of your room, gradually becoming more and more convinced that this is one of Madi's elaborate jokes on you. You are often on the receiving end of these schemes of hers, due to your exceptionally gullible nature. Of course there's no impending apocalypse, it's just a perfectly normal d-HOLY SHIT what is that in the sky?!

**= BE CA**

You are now the girl with the dogs. What will you do?

**= BE PESTERED BY CZ**

**coolstoryZo started pestering colossalArcanine**

**CZ:** a tissue?

**CZ:** classic you, really.

**CA:** weEeEelllll... you know mE

**CZ:** ok, so i've got all your stuff deployed downstairs. i'm still not entirely sure on the terminology of it all yet, to be honest.

**CZ:** basically you've got your totem thingie there, ready to be... alchemized, i guess?

**CA:** wow thanks bRO

**CZ:** you have no idea how hard it was not to squish any dogs.

**CZ:** they are all totally freaking shit down there.

**CZ:** ...have fun.

**CA:** oh fuck zo.. wHY would you rile them up

**CZ:** look, i got all your shit done for you. be grateful.

**CZ:** all you have to do now is just go get yourself and your tissue-ghost pal into the medium fast, and i guess we will get all of the semantics sotred out once

we know that everybody is not dead.

**CA:** sounds like a plan dudebro

**CZ:** no talk, just alchemizing!

**CZ:** go go go!

**colossalArcanine stopped pestering coolstoryZo**


End file.
